John Irving was born March 2, 1942, in Exeter, New Hampshire, he was raised by his biological mother, and stepfather. Many events from Irving’s personal life have inspired books that he has written, such as, parent separations, feminism, sexual abuse, and sexual fantasies. Not only have plots been inspired by Irving’s personal life, but also the characters; which often follow Irving’s past experiences. Much like Charles Dickens, Irving’s themes focus on the darkness of the world and what the characters must face in order to overcome the complex plots. At the age of 15, John Irving’s life was greatly affected by reading, Great Expectations. The personal growth and character development found in Great Expectations have impacted Irving’s novels. …show more content…
John Irving is known as an admired author who foreshadows the fate of characters in the beginning of his novels, by doing this, he directs the reader to want to carry on with the book and discover what the characters must adventure through in order to reach the destined outcome. Through his use of irony and foreshadowing, John Irving expresses the importance of forgiveness and the hardships one must endure in order to main personal identity in the mid-1900s. Throughout his works, Irving emphasizes on changes of feelings, representing human susceptibility and endurance. In the novel, A Widow for One Year, Irving’s character Ruth has overcome the absence of her mother while growing up, just as Irving had to do with his father. However, many emotions were built up over the course of their childhoods; abandonment and lack of love, once their parents reentered their lives they then felt as if they were “reclaimed.” Once Ruth meets her mother after a course of 20 years, she lets her emotions take over, “Then she stopped trying- she let the tears come” ( Irving 537). John Irving uses realistic events that individuals go through, he broadens human vulnerability and how an individual acts while struggling with difficult situations. The absentee of Irving’s father has greatly affected him. He expands the importance of forgiveness and recollection throughout his novels; so that one will not potentially miss out on opportunities if they do not take the risk of forgiving someone that has had an impact on their life. Not only do individuals break down in emotions, but are also able to endure and overcome situations that are thrown at them. John Irving displays this through his character's, Father concludes, “Human beings are remarkable - at what we can learn to live with. If we couldn't get strong from what we lose, and what we miss, and what we want and can't have, then we couldn't ever get strong enough, could we? What else makes us strong?” (“Hotel New Hampshire” 313). Enduring situations allow individuals to become stronger and move past the difficulty that they face; making them stronger as an individual. Irving’s hardships in life, such as growing up without his father have not only made him a stronger man, but has also allowed him to be able to tolerate more difficult events that he has faced… prostate cancer. By being able to tolerate the rough patches of life, he has been able to look at the small things in life and be content, Eddie realizes, “All his life he would hold this moment as exemplary of what love was. It was not wanting anything more, nor was it expecting people to exceed what they had just accomplished; it was simply feeling so complete” (Irving, “A Widow for One Year” 70). The importance of being content is shown throughout, A Widow for one Year; making the best out of awful situations allows characters to begin to look on the brighter side and live happier. Holding on to and recalling cherished memories help shape individuals so that they are aware of the attitude and morals that they might one day possess. The human trait of tolerance and naivety help individuals to overcome situations and develop more as a being. The stylistic elements John Irving applies in his work: irony and foreshadowing, broaden the difficulty of finding one’s self in the 1950’s. The use of foreshadowing Irving uses in his books relate to what he experiences in his life, the outcome with the characters are very similar to his own. Eddie symbolizes Irving’s sexual desires that he once had when he was younger, he also symbolizes forthcoming events, it is seen when, “The boy’s gloomy foreknowledge that the summer will end- and with it his love affair with a woman who means everything to him” (Irving, “A Widow for One Year” 35). Eddie’s character portrays Irving’s life as a young boy and what he has turned into, like Eddie, Irving had many obstacles in life and he is amazed that he grew up because of what he had to go through. By foreshadowing the end of the summer, it allows the reader to be aware of the course of the book and the character growth that will soon begin to develop. Irony is a key element that is used for Irving's books, illustrating the humor that can be found in serious situations that may be difficult to overcome. “You take every opportunity given you in this world, even if you have too many opportunities. One day, the opportunities stop, you know” (Irving “Hotel New Hampshire” 30). To be humble is a lesson that Irving emphasizes as importance. Foreshadowing here creates tension and gives the reader anticipation of what is to come, Irving uses foreshadowing once again in order to create a suspenseful tone and give the reader additional information on the character and the situation. To be humble is a lesson that Irving uses throughout his book, being humble takes individuals farther in life, and Irving emphasizes his humbleness through these characters. Aside from the dramatic portions of Irving’s work, he also creates humor, shown when, “Nor did the dying gardener miss the irony that it was the shredded pornographic drawings of his employer that had led him to his position in the murderous privet” (Irving, “A Widow for One Year” 120) Irving uses Irony to find humor in bad situations, the gardener realizes that his death is ironic because he is going to die from someone else’s mistakes; mistakes that are due to pornographic pictures of his mistress. Optimism is important to Irving, and through his characters, he is able to portray this quality and makes the serious situations comical for the reader. Humour that is shown throughout the book enlighten the difficult situation individuals struggle with to find personal identity. Like other writers, John Irving uses personal experiences to uncover the unfairness of personal beliefs and sex roles that were shaped by his generation. Rejection of homosexual people in the 1950’s was large, and caused people of the description hardship when they had to “fit into society.” As a brother and a supporter of Frank in, The Hotel New Hampshire, Freud yells out, “Hang in there, Frank! Don't let anyone tell you you're queer! You're a prince, Frank!’”(Irving 359). As a teenager, John Irving explored bisexuality and homosexuality; the challenge and struggle of his sexuality was a very important time in Irving’s life. Irving’s difficult experience has inspired many of his novels and characters that must learn to ignore the hatred they are getting for being “different” than everyone else. Sex roles are discussed throughout Irving’s novels, exemplifying the unfairness, “She was convinced that women were as often victims of themselves as they were of men.” (Irving, “A Widow for One Year” 346).
Gender roles in the mid-1900s were distinct, and falling out of place could lead to becoming an outcast. Irving shows his disapproval of gender-based roles through Ruth’s thoughts and the danger that can cause a woman if she is treated as an object. Sticking to beliefs and seeing them through is difficult when one grown up in a set role community, Irving’s characters display this, Frank states, “So we dream on. Thus we invent our lives. We give ourselves a sainted mother, we make our father a hero; and someone’s older brother and someone’s older sister – they become our heroes too. We invent what we love and what we fear” (Irving, “Hotel New Hampshire” 418). Personal beliefs and dreams play a large roll in Irving’s life, being allowed take grasp of them and being able to achieve them are important to him and have allowed him to get to the point he is at today. By believing in himself and dreaming of success allowed Irving to reach his goal as a teenager of being on the varsity wrestling team. The unfairness that is exemplified in the novels uncover the ethical struggle one goes through to achieve their destined
goal. In A Widow for One Year and Hotel New Hampshire, John Irving’s use of irony and foreshadowing explores self-identity and the struggle an individual must endure in order to claim their individuality. Irving is famously known for his controversial matters and making them into humorous events through his stylistic choices. Sticking to storytelling has allowed Irving to reach out to individuals with different situations; his books bring up multiple themes that all readers will be able to identify with. The tone that Irving ends with enthralls the reader and his repetition in the beginning of the book always ceases to be found as the last line of each book. Irving has published many books while being an author and has created an image for himself: the comical storyteller.
Of course, the thematic development of the novel is somewhat more complicated and cluttered than that. The presentation of religion in the book is continually undercut with irony and the constant presence of sex. Further the thematic development of the book is also inconsistent and indirect, in part because we are never able to obtain a secure view or outlook of Johnny's mind; he is such a subdued narrator that it is difficult to tell exactly where he stands during much of the novel, which often clouds our sense of his struggle with faith and doubt. This ambiguity underscores the important point that Irving's basic intention for his novel is not to present a philosophical meditation on the nature of God, but rather to tell a clutching story.
At birth, we are a blank slate, regardless of gender. We are introduced into a world that wrongly believes gender defines who we are and what we shall be. Everything we see, hear, taste, smell, and feel impacts our minds and how we react. Therefore, behaviors between the sexes are learned from our interactions with the opposite sex and how we, as individuals, see our world. In the literary piece, The Distrust between the Sexes, Karen Horney asks this question: “…What special factors in human development lead to the discrepancy between expectations and fulfillment and what causes them to be of special significance in particular cases” (Horney)?
In his stories the women were not portrayed as nice. Women were usually nagging and would fight with their husbands. Some critics felt that Irving took an anti-feminism approach to his writing. However some critic feel that The Legend of Sleepy Hollow shows importance of marriage. Some critics also argue the quality of his work. Some pieces of his work are considered remarkable. While other pieces of his work are considered not to be that good.
At first glance, "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow" by Washington Irving seems to be an innocent tale about a superstitious New England town threatened by a strange new comer, Icabod Crane. However, this descriptive narrative is more than just a simple tale because it addresses several gender issues that deserve attention. The pervasiveness of female influence in Sleepy Hollow and the conflict between male and female storytelling in this Dutch community are two pertinent gender issues that complicate Irving's work and ultimately enable the women of Sleepy Hollow to control the men and maintain order.
Gender Roles: In some respects, Fitzgerald writes about gender roles in a quite conservative manner. In his novel, men work to earn money for the maintenance of the women. Men are dominant over women, especially in the case of Tom, who asserts his physical strength to subdue them. The only hint of a role reversal is in the pair of Nick and Jordan. Jordan's androgynous name and cool, collected style masculinize her more than any other female character. However, in the end, Nick does exert his dominance over her by ending the relationship. The women in the novel are an interesting group, because they do not divide into the traditional groups of Mary Magdalene and Madonna figures, instead, none of them are pure. Myrtle is the most obviously sensual, but the fact that Jordan and Daisy wear white dresses only highlights their corruption.
Irving uses many other images and scenes within this story that could be delved into further. However, I believe these three main points, along with the knowledge of the political climate of the times, shows Irving’s genius in representing both sides of the political gamut. Irving was able to cater to both the British and the Colonist without offending either side. Irving’s genius was that even though this was an allegory of its time, its elements could represent either or both sides of the conflict during the Revolution. This dual representation in an allegorical story ensured his success, in both countries as a writer. It allowed Irving to make a political statement without taking sides.
In the abyss of 1837 Victorian London, Charles Dickens recently fabricated the novel, Oliver Twist and it immediately began to spread Dickens’ ideas of social problems in society. Born parentless and immediately manipulated by two criminals, Oliver Twist follows Dawkins and Fagin into the criminal world. In particular, Dawkins and Fagin constantly go after and abuse Oliver. Later on, Monks, Oliver’s older half-brother, tries deceiving him and taking their family inheritance. This graphic and dark exposé of the criminal elements in London clearly served as an eye-opener for Dickens’ audience. Even twenty years later Dickens still exposes unhealthy social conditions in Great Expectations. It is as if in Great Expectations,
In To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee, the idea of masculine versus feminine behavior is often present as these views are dependent on society and upbringing within it. Set in the 1930’s, gender roles were quite prominent throughout this time, leading to prejudice and gaps between the male and female genders, similar to today. At this point of the story, there have been several incidents with Scout acting in a way that is seen as improper. For example, the way Scout dresses, which is in trousers instead of frilly dresses, and how she plays with the boys, is seen as unladylike. Several orthodox people in the town demonstrate frustration with these actions, like Jem. Jem shows his vexation with Scout by reprimanding her when saying, “It's time
The novel, Great Expectations, presents the story of a young boy growing up and becoming a
Moore, Andrew. "Studying Relationships in Great Expectations." . N.p., 2000. Web. 15 Mar 2012. .
Charles Dickens is well known for his distinctive writing style. Few authors before or since are as adept at bringing a character to life for the reader as he was. His novels are populated with characters who seem real to his readers, perhaps even reminding them of someone they know. What readers may not know, however, is that Dickens often based some of his most famous characters, those both beloved or reviled, on people in his own life. It is possible to see the important people, places, and events of Dickens' life thinly disguised in his fiction. Stylistically, evidence of this can be seen in Great Expectations. For instance, semblances of his mother, father, past loves, and even Dickens himself are visible in the novel. However, Dickens' past influenced not only character and plot devices in Great Expectations, but also the very syntax he used to create his fiction. Parallels can be seen between his musings on his personal life and his portrayal of people and places in Great Expectations.
These elements are crucial to the structure and development of Great Expectations: Pip's maturation and development from child to man are important characteristics of the genre to which Great Expectations belongs. In structure, Pip's story, Great Expectations, is a Bildungsroman, a novel of development. The Bildungsroman traces the development of a protagonist from his early beginnings--from his education to his first venture into the big city--following his experiences there, and his ultimate self-knowledge and maturation. Upon the further examination of the characteristics of the Bildungsroman as presented here it is clear that Great Expectations, in part, conforms to the general characteristics of the English Bildungsroman. However, there are aspects of this genre from which Dickens departs in Great Expectations. It is these departures that speak to what is most important in Pip's development, what ultimately ma...
Jack London is among the many prolific writers from the United States of America who possess great artistic works ranging from great time novels ,short stories to plays just but to mention a few. He is fondly remembered for his great novel, ‘Martin Eden’ published in 1909. In the novel he tries to express the challenges faced by young writers who try to exploit their talent and passion in an area where little opportunities present themselves. This novel has stood the test of time with its relevance evident to date. It is a favorite to many young upcoming writers thus the main aim for writing this paper is to focus on the autobiography of Jack London as ‘Martin Eden’.
Dickens’s Great Expectations could be considered by some to be semi-autobiographical, since, like the main character of the novel, Pip, Dickens had a very humble beginning. While he and his character bear many similarities, Dickens’s main focus in the novel is addressing the social aspects of his time, rather than telling the story of his life.
“Themes and construction: Great Expectations” Exploring Novels (2005): 8. Online. Discovering Collection. 07 Feb. 2006. Available http://galenet.galegroup.com/servlet/DC.